Past, Present, Future: The Women of Hip Hop

Photo courtesy of bet.com

It’s a man’s world. That could easily be the slogan for the male-dominated industry of hip hop. As an aspiring female rapper it takes skill, drive, and a certain ‘it’ factor to break through. Consistency, a solid fan base, and surviving the ups and downs of the business keeps you relevant.

In honor of women’s history month, Billboard featured a female MC each day during March. The end result is a list of the 31 greatest female hip hop artists of all time. From pioneers like MC Lyte and Queen Latifah, to women like Lil Kim and Trina who owned their sexuality, to groundbreaking artists like Missy Elliot, they all had an impact on the genre and culture. Through each generation women rappers have offered the female perspective. None have done it quite like Salt-N-Pepa, Lauryn Hill, and Nicki Minaj.

Photo courtesy of arktimes.com

When you think of female rap in the 80’s Salt-N-Pepa should automatically come to mind. Hits like “Push It,” “Shoop,” and “Let’s Talk About Sex” solidified their position as the best-selling female rap group of all time. Their distinctive style, energetic vibe, and empowering female anthems made members Salt, Pepa, and Spinderella icons. They served as a voice for women of their time. They joined forces with R&B group En Vogue on “Whatta Man” for a smash hit collaboration that was true to their essence. They undoubtedly helped pave the way for future female MC’s.

The “Friend Zone:” Hall of Famer David Byrne covers Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend.”

Many say that trying new things is what keeps us young. If that’s the case then former Talking Heads founding member David Byrne must still be in his 20’s! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member spent Tuesday evening (February 25) covering Biz Markie‘s 1989 hit “Just A Friend” in a karaoke-esque performance for an “Artist’s Pay For Radio Play” benefit in New York City.

This certainly isn’t the first time the New Wave pioneer has covered songs from other artists. Byrne has performed songs from the likes of Whitney Houston, Beyonce, and even Missy Elliott. One of my personal favorites was his 2011 duet performance of “You Can Call Me Al” with Paul Simon himself. As an 80’s fan I definitely geeked out on this one.

So here’s the thing. If a rock and roll visionary and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who has won Oscars, Grammys, and Golden Globes can try new things, why can’t you? Check out KaraokeOnVEVO and Sing-N-Share now to perform your own covers of your favorite songs. Or heck, do something really new and learn how to play guitar with our easy-to-follow Play a Tab program. The sky’s the limit and the only one holding you back… is you!